FLOWERY BRANCH – Grady Jarrett, a Falcons team captain and leader of the defense, knows what’s coming.
After giving up 232 yards on 47 carries against the Panthers in their last outing, the Falcons (4-6) are set to face the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL in the Chicago Bears (3-7) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“It’s a challenge for sure,” Jarrett said. “The preparation has been good. They are running the ball really well across the board. The quarterback (Justin Fields) is making some really amazing plays for them. The last two weeks they’ve been really hot on offense.”
The Bears average 201.7 yards rushing per game, and Fields in their leading rusher, with 104 carries for 749 yards and six touchdowns. Khalil Herbert had rushed 148 times for 643 yards and four touchdowns before he was placed on injured reserve. He sustained a hip injury Sunday against Detroit.
“This is definitely a game where assignments and leverages are going to be tested,” Jarrett said. “Everybody has to be on one accord. You can’t be trying to do somebody else’s job. You have to do your job and be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there.”
The Falcons studied their game against the Panthers on Nov. 10. D’Onta Foreman plowed ahead 31 times for 130 yards.
Defensive coordinator Dean Pees noted that the Panthers’ rushing yards were bloated by wide receiver Laviska Shenault’s 41-yard touchdown on a backward pass that went toward to the rushing total.
“Just too many big runs,” Jarrett said. “Definitely a lot of stuff in there that we have to get better from … definitely some things we needed to fix.”
Fields, who was the nation’s No. 2 recruit out of Harrison High in 2017, played at Georgia and Ohio State. He was drafted by the Bears last season 11th overall.
Fields rushed for 147 yards in a 31-30 loss to the Lions on Sunday and for 178 yards in a 35-32 loss to the Dolphins on Nov. 6. The 178 and his 325 in a two-game span are NFL records for a quarterback.
“It definitely changes things when you are going against somebody as dynamic of an athlete that Justin Fields is,” Jarrett said. “That’s just because of … everybody can’t move like that. It changes things for everybody across the board, not only for me in the interior.”
The Bears, during their bye week, studied the Baltimore Ravens and how they spring free quarterback Lamar Jackson. Fields has been getting loose on some of those designed reads in what coach Arthur Smith calls the NFL a “cut and paste” league.
“You have to make the plays when they are there,” Jarrett said. “You have to give special players their due respect. It’s not like you’re playing somebody who is going to stay in the pocket and pass, which he can do. But at the same time, there are certain aspects to his game that make him who he is and why he’s a special player.”
While Jarrett will be in charge of making sure his gaps are taken care of in the middle of the defense, Falcons outside linebackers Ade Ogundeji and Lorenzo Carter will have to contain Fields on his run-pass-option plays and outside runs.
“We just have to make sure that we keep him in the pocket,” Ogundeji said. “Make sure that we corral him. He’s a big guy, too. We have to make sure that we tackle him.”
Everyone will have a job to do, but the outside linebackers will be under stress. They can’t let Fields get outside.
“For us, it’s almost like going against the triple option,” Ogundeji said. “You have to make sure you are doing your job. If you got the quarterback, you got the quarterback. If you’ve got the dive, you got the dive. If one person messes up, that’s a big gain.”
Carter mostly will man the right outside linebacker post.
“When he has that two-headed option in the run or pass, he’s really dangerous,” Carter said. “We just have to limit the threats and the amount of rushes that he gets.”
The Falcons also will have the option to put a spy on Fields, but will pick their spots. Rookie linebacker Troy Andersen is a good candidate to spy Fields.
Carter believes the defense learned its lesson from the loss to the Panthers.
“It always comes down to how well we play together,” Carter said. “How detailed oriented that we are. It doesn’t really change. Everything is hyperfocused this week.”
For more content about the Atlanta Falcons
On Facebook at Atlanta Falcons News Now
On Instagram at DorlandoLed
Atlanta Falcons coverage on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Bow Tie Chronicles
Atlanta Falcons 2022 schedule
Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26
Sept. 18: Rams 31, Falcons 27
Sept. 25 Falcons 27, Seahawks 23
Oct. 2 Falcons 23, Browns 20
Oct. 9 Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
Oct. 16 Falcons 28, 49ers 14
Oct. 23 Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Oct. 30 Falcons 37, Panthers 34 OT
Nov. 6 Chargers 20, Falcons 17
Nov. 10 Panthers 25, Falcons 15
Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.
Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.
Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
About the Author
